The Menlo Park Police Department has concluded its investigation into a fatal traffic accident involving a bicyclist on Sand Hill Road that occurred at 8:44am on the morning of July 5, 2001. Katherine Pope of Winter Park, Florida was riding a bicycle westbound in the #1 lane of the 2400 block of Sand Hill Road and was struck on her left side by a 1982 Porsche 911 driven by William Stettiner of Menlo Park. Pope was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Officers learned that Pope was an employee at Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC). To enter the SLAC property, Pope would have had to go south on Saga Lane, which was the next intersection west of the accident scene.

At the time of the collision, the weather was clear, it was daylight and the roadway surfaces were dry. Officers arriving at the scene found Katherine Pope, the bicycle, and the Porsche all in the #1 lane. The bicycle was located approximately 500 feet east of the intersection of Saga Lane. Pope was approximately nine feet west of the bicycle and the Porsche was located approximately 23 feet east of the bicycle. Directly behind the Porsche were four tire skid marks varying in length from 129 feet to 138 feet. Witnesses stated that Pope had her helmet on while riding on Sand Hill and that it remained on after impact. According to the statement of Stettiner, he was wearing his seat belt and not using a cellular phone at the time of the collision. Witnesses confirm that Stettiner was not using a cell phone at the time of the collision.

Officers investigating the collision noted that the 2400 block of Sand Hill Road is an uphill grade and has a bike lane in the westbound direction that runs the entire block. The investigation revealed that three uninvolved parties witnessed the accident. All of the witnesses were interviewed and they all gave very similar statements. The witnesses reported that they had been stopped westbound on Sand Hill Road at Branner Drive for a red light. Witnesses said that they took note of Pope westbound in the bike lane just west of Branner Drive. While westbound traffic was stopped, Pope continued to ride and was able to proceed without vehicular traffic passing her. When the westbound light turned green, all of the witnesses proceeded west in the 2400 block of Sand Hill Road.

All three of the witnesses were in a position to see the Porsche just prior to the accident and all three reported that the vehicle appeared to be driving normally and with the flow of traffic. Each witness stated that they saw Pope signal with her left arm as if to move out of the bike lane and into the lanes of traffic. They stated that at virtually the same time she signaled, Pope rode her bike out of the bike lane and into the #2 lane at what was described as a sharp angle. Statements revealed that Pope maintained the same angle as she proceeded into the #1 lane where she was hit on her left side by the Porsche. All of the witnesses stated that when Pope left the bike lane, she did not look back to visually check for oncoming traffic. The investigation revealed that Pope did not have a rear view mirror on her helmet or bike. Toxicology reports have been reviewed and it has been determined that neither alcohol nor drugs played a role in the accident.

Officers also investigated issues with respect to the speed of the vehicle. They conducted skid tests at various speeds in the 2400 block of Sand Hill to determine the coefficient of friction of that portion of roadway and consulted with CHP on approximating speed. Estimates of speed after a collision are approximations based on braking efficiency, skid distance, and the coefficient of friction of the stopping surface. Based on these variables, the department estimates the speed of the motor vehicle to be slightly less than 51 mph. The speed limit in the 2400 block of Sand Hill Road is 45 mph. An inquiry into traffic speed surveys conducted on the 2400 block of Sand Hill Road revealed that in 1994, 85% of the vehicles traveling westbound were traveling at 45.9 mph or less. The survey was updated in 1999 and revealed an 85th percentile speed of 49.9. That survey is scheduled for presentation to the city council this fall.

It is the opinion of the police department that the primary factor causing the collision is a violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21208(b) on the part of the bicyclist. That section states that "No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal." This opinion is based on many factors including the statements of three independent witnesses who noted that the bicyclist did not check to determine if her movement out of the lane was safe. The police department will not be citing the driver of the Porsche for any violations. As is routine in many fatal collision investigations, the accident report was sent to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s office for review.   ###